Theological Commission on Same-Sex Relationships and the Ministry

The Report of the Theological Commission to be received by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May 2013 is the culmination of a sustained period of reflection on issues of human sexuality raised by the question of Same-Sex Relationships and the Ministry of the Church. It represents a further stage in a process initiated in the debates in the General Assembly of 2009, as a result of which a Special Commission was appointed which reported in 2011. The 2011 Report gave expression to a Church-wide consultation process on issues of human sexuality and enabled the Church of Scotland to deepen its understanding of the depth and range of the questions raised. At the same time, it acknowledged that these questions required to be more fully addressed from a theological perspective. The Report of the Theological Commission seeks to do so, and to offer to the Church of Scotland a basis upon which to reflect on its nature as a Church within the 'One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church' which seeks to embrace each person made in the image of God, irrespective of sexual orientation.